Systems For Providing Tunable White Light with High Color Rendering

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides systems for generating tunable white light. The systems include a plurality of LED strings that generate light with color points that fall within blue, yellow/green, red, and cyan color ranges, with each LED string being driven with a separately controllable drive current in order to tune the generated light output.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a Continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/049,086 filed Jul. 30, 2018, which is a Continuation ofinternational patent application PCT/US2016/015348 filed Jan. 28, 2016,the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.This application is related to U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,526,143 and 9,839,091.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure is in the field of solid-state lighting. In particular,the disclosure relates to devices for use in providing tunable whitelight with high color rendering performance.

BACKGROUND

A wide variety of light emitting devices are known in the art including,for example, incandescent light bulbs, fluorescent lights, andsemiconductor light emitting devices such as light emitting diodes(“LEDs”).

There are a variety of resources utilized to describe the light producedfrom a light emitting device, one commonly used resource is 1931 CIE(Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage) Chromaticity Diagram. The1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram maps out the human color perception interms of two CIE parameters x and y. The spectral colors are distributedaround the edge of the outlined space, which includes all of the huesperceived by the human eye. The boundary line represents maximumsaturation for the spectral colors, and the interior portion representsless saturated colors including white light. The diagram also depictsthe Planckian locus, also referred to as the black body locus (BBL),with correlated color temperatures, which represents the chromaticitycoordinates (i.e., color points) that correspond to radiation from ablack-body at different temperatures. Illuminants that produce light onor near the BBL can thus be described in terms of their correlated colortemperatures (CCT). These illuminants yield pleasing “white light” tohuman observers, with general illumination typically utilizing CCTvalues between 1,800 K and 10,000 K.

Color rendering index (CRI) is described as an indication of thevibrancy of the color of light being produced by a light source. Inpractical terms, the CRI is a relative measure of the shift in surfacecolor of an object when lit by a particular lamp as compared to areference light source, typically either a black-body radiator or thedaylight spectrum. The higher the CRI value for a particular lightsource, the better that the light source renders the colors of variousobjects it is used to illuminate.

LEDs have the potential to exhibit very high power efficiencies relativeto conventional incandescent or fluorescent lights. Most LEDs aresubstantially monochromatic light sources that appear to emit lighthaving a single color. Thus, the spectral power distribution (“SPD”) ofthe light emitted by most LEDs is tightly centered about a “peak”wavelength, which is the single wavelength where the spectral powerdistribution or “emission spectrum” of the LED reaches its maximum asdetected by a photo-detector. LEDs typically have a full-widthhalf-maximum wavelength range of about 10 nm to 30 nm, comparativelynarrow with respect to the broad range of visible light to the humaneye, which ranges from approximately from 380 nm to 800 nm.

In order to use LEDs to generate white light, LED lamps have beenprovided that include two or more LEDs that each emit a light of adifferent color. The different colors combine to produce a desiredintensity and/or color of white light. For example, by simultaneouslyenergizing red, green and blue LEDs, the resulting combined light mayappear white, or nearly white, depending on, for example, the relativeintensities, peak wavelengths and spectral power distributions of thesource red, green and blue LEDs. The aggregate emissions from red,green, and blue LEDs typically provide poor CRI for general illuminationapplications due to the gaps in the spectral power distribution inregions remote from the peak wavelengths of the LEDs.

White light may also be produced by utilizing one or more luminescentmaterials such as phosphors to convert some of the light emitted by oneor more LEDs to light of one or more other colors. The combination ofthe light emitted by the LEDs that is not converted by the luminescentmaterial(s) and the light of other colors that are emitted by theluminescent material(s) may produce a white or near-white light.

LED lamps have been provided that can emit white light with differentCCT values within a range. Such lamps utilize two or more LEDs, with orwithout luminescent materials, with respective drive currents that areincreased or decreased to increase or decrease the amount of lightemitted by each LED. By controllably altering the power to the variousLEDs in the lamp, the overall light emitted can be tuned to differentCCT values. The range of CCT values that can be provided with adequateCRI values and efficiency is limited by the selection of LEDs.

Significant challenges remain in providing LED lamps that can providewhite light across a range of CCT values while simultaneously achievinghigh efficiencies, high luminous flux, good color rendering, andacceptable color stability.

DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure provides aspects of semiconductor light emittingdevices comprising a first light emitting diode (“LED”) string thatcomprises a first LED that has a first recipient luminophoric mediumthat comprises a first luminescent material, a second LED string thatcomprises a second LED that has a second recipient luminophoric mediumthat comprises a second luminescent material, a third LED string thatcomprises a third LED that has a third recipient luminophoric mediumthat comprises a third luminescent material, a fourth LED string thatcomprises a fourth LED that has a fourth recipient luminophoric mediumthat comprises a fourth luminescent material, and a drive circuit thatis responsive to input from one or more of an end user of thesemiconductor light emitting device and one or more sensors measuring acharacteristic associated with the performance of the semiconductorlight emitting device. In some implementations the first LED and firstluminophoric medium together emit a first unsaturated light having afirst color point within a blue color range, the second LED and secondluminophoric medium together emit a second unsaturated light having asecond color point within a red color range, the third LED and thirdluminophoric medium together emit a third unsaturated light having athird color point within a yellow/green color range, and the fourth LEDand fourth luminophoric medium together emit a fourth unsaturated lighthaving a fourth color point within a cyan color range. In someimplementations the drive circuit is configured to adjust the relativevalues of first, second, third, and fourth drive currents provided tothe LEDs in the first, second, third, and fourth LED strings,respectively, to adjust a fifth color point of a fifth unsaturated lightthat results from a combination of the first, second, third, and fourthunsaturated light. In some implementations of the devices of the presentdisclosure the blue color range can be defined by a line connecting theccx, ccy color coordinates of the infinity point of the Planckian locus(0.242, 0.24) and (0.12, 0.068), the Planckian locus from 4000 K andinfinite CCT, the constant CCT line of 4000 K, the line of purples, andthe spectral locus, the red color range can be defined by the spectrallocus between the constant CCT line of 1600 K and the line of purples,the line of purples, a line connecting the ccx, ccy color coordinates(0.61, 0.21) and (0.47, 0.28), and the constant CCT line of 1600 K, theyellow/green color range can be defined by the constant CCT line of 4600K, the Planckian locus between 4600 K and 550 K, the spectral locus, anda line connecting the ccx, ccy color coordinates (0.445, 0.555) and(0.38, 0.505), and the cyan color range can be defined by a lineconnecting the ccx, ccy color coordinates (0.18, 0.55) and (0.27, 0.72),the constant CCT line of 9000 K, the Planckian locus between 9000 K and4600 K, the constant CCT line of 4600 K, and the spectral locus. In someimplementations of the devices of the present disclosure the LEDs in thefirst, second, and third LED strings comprise blue LEDs having a peakwavelength between about 405 nm and about 485 nm and the LEDs in thefourth LED string comprise cyan LEDs having a peak wavelength betweenabout 485 nm and about 520 nm. In some implementations the blue colorrange comprises a region on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram defined bya 60-step MacAdam ellipse at 20000 K, 40 points below the Planckianlocus, the red color range comprises a region on the 1931 CIEChromaticity Diagram defined by a 20-step MacAdam ellipse at 1200 K, 20points below the Planckian locus, the yellow/green color range comprisesa region on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram defined by a 16-stepMacAdam ellipse at 3700 K, 30 points above Planckian locus, and the cyancolor range comprises a region on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagramdefined by 30-step MacAdam ellipse at 6000 K, 68 points above thePlanckian locus. In some implementations the devices of the presentdisclosure comprise a drive circuit is configured to adjust the fifthcolor point so that it falls within a 7-step MacAdam ellipse around anypoint on the black body locus having a correlated color temperaturebetween 1800 K and 10000 K, and in some of these implementations thelight emitting devices are configured to generate the fifth unsaturatedlight corresponding to a plurality of points along a predefined pathwith the light generated at each point having light with one or more ofRa≥90, R9≥60, and GAIBB≥95. In some implementations the devices comprisea drive circuit configured to adjust the fifth color point so that itfalls within a 7-step MacAdam ellipse around any point on the black bodylocus having a correlated color temperature between 1800 K and 6500 K,and the light emitting devices are configured to generate the fifthunsaturated light corresponding to a plurality of points along apredefined path with the light generated at each point having light withone or more of Ra≥90, R9≥75, and GAIBB≥95.

The present disclosure provides aspects of methods of forming a lightemitting apparatus, the methods comprising providing a substrate,mounting a first LED, a second LED, a third LED, and a fourth LED on thesubstrate, providing first, second, third, and fourth luminophoricmediums in illuminative communication with the first, second, third, andfourth LEDs, respectively, wherein a combined light emitted by thefirst, second, third, and fourth LEDs and the first, second, third, andfourth luminophoric mediums together has a fifth color point that fallswithin a 7-step MacAdam ellipse around any point on the black body locushaving a correlated color temperature between 1800 K and 10000 K. Insome implementations, the methods comprise providing a first LED and afirst luminophoric medium configured to emit combined light having afirst color point within a blue color range defined by a line connectingthe ccx, ccy color coordinates of the infinity point of the Planckianlocus (0.242, 0.24) and (0.12, 0.068), the Planckian locus from 4000 Kand infinite CCT, the constant CCT line of 4000 K, the line of purples,and the spectral locus, providing a second LED and a second luminophoricmedium configured to emit combined light having a second color pointwithin a red color range defined by the spectral locus between theconstant CCT line of 1600 K and the line of purples, the line ofpurples, a line connecting the ccx, ccy color coordinates (0.61, 0.21)and (0.47, 0.28), and the constant CCT line of 1600 K, providing a thirdLED and a third luminophoric medium configured to emit combined lighthaving a third color point within a yellow/green color range defined bythe constant CCT line of 4600 K, the Planckian locus between 4600 K and550 K, the spectral locus, and a line connecting the ccx, ccy colorcoordinates (0.445, 0.555) and (0.38, 0.505), and providing a fourth LEDand a fourth luminophoric medium configured to emit combined lighthaving a fourth color point within a cyan color range defined by a lineconnecting the ccx, ccy color coordinates (0.18, 0.55) and (0.27, 0.72),the constant CCT line of 9000 K, the Planckian locus between 9000 K and4600 K, the constant CCT line of 4600 K, and the spectral locus. In someimplementations, the methods comprise providing the first, second, andthird LEDs and luminophoric mediums as phosphor-coated blue lightemitting device chips. In some implementations, the methods compriseproviding the fourth LED and fourth luminophoric medium as aphosphor-coated cyan light emitting device chip. In some implementationsthe first, second, third, and fourth luminophoric mediums are providedin positions remotely located from the first, second, third, and fourthLEDs.

The general disclosure and the following further disclosure areexemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of thedisclosure, as defined in the appended claims. Other aspects of thepresent disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in viewof the details as provided herein. In the figures, like referencenumerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.All callouts and annotations are hereby incorporated by this referenceas if fully set forth herein.

DRAWINGS

The summary, as well as the following detailed description, is furtherunderstood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For thepurpose of illustrating the disclosure, there are shown in the drawingsexemplary implementations of the disclosure; however, the disclosure isnot limited to the specific methods, compositions, and devicesdisclosed. In addition, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates aspects of light emitting devices according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates aspects of light emitting devices according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 3 depicts a graph of a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram illustratingthe location of the Planckian locus;

FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate some aspects of light emitting devices accordingto the present disclosure, including some suitable color ranges forlight generated by components of the devices;

FIG. 5 illustrates some aspects of light emitting devices according tothe present disclosure, including some suitable color ranges for lightgenerated by components of the devices;

FIG. 6 illustrates some aspects of light emitting devices according tothe present disclosure, including some suitable color ranges for lightgenerated by components of the devices;

FIGS. 7-8 are tables of data of relative spectral power versuswavelength regions for some suitable color points of light generated bycomponents of devices of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a table of data of color rendering characteristics of animplementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a table of data of color rendering characteristics of animplementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a table of data of color rendering characteristics of animplementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a table of data of color rendering characteristics of animplementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a table of data of color rendering characteristics of animplementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a table of data of color rendering characteristics of animplementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a table of data of color rendering characteristics of animplementation of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 16 a table of data of light output of some exemplary light emittingdiodes suitable for implementations of the present disclosure.

All descriptions and callouts in the Figures are hereby incorporated bythis reference as if fully set forth herein.

FURTHER DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference tothe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying figures and examples, which form a part of this disclosure.It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to thespecific devices, methods, applications, conditions or parametersdescribed and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein isfor the purpose of describing particular exemplars by way of exampleonly and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed disclosure. Also,as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singularforms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to aparticular numerical value includes at least that particular value,unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “plurality”, asused herein, means more than one. When a range of values is expressed,another exemplar includes from the one particular value and/or to theother particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed asapproximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understoodthat the particular value forms another exemplar. All ranges areinclusive and combinable.

It is to be appreciated that certain features of the disclosure whichare, for clarity, described herein in the context of separate exemplar,may also be provided in combination in a single exemplaryimplementation. Conversely, various features of the disclosure that are,for brevity, described in the context of a single exemplaryimplementation, may also be provided separately or in anysubcombination. Further, reference to values stated in ranges includeeach and every value within that range.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides semiconductor lightemitting devices 100 that can have a plurality of light emitting diode(LED) strings. Each LED string can have one, or more than one, LED. Asdepicted schematically in FIG. 1, the device 100 may comprise one ormore LED strings (101A/101B/101C/101D) that emit light (schematicallyshown with arrows). In some instances, the LED strings can haverecipient luminophoric mediums (102A/102B/102C/102D) associatedtherewith. The light emitted from the LED strings, combined with lightemitted from the recipient luminophoric mediums, can be passed throughone or more optical elements 103. Optical elements 103 may be one ormore diffusers, lenses, light guides, reflective elements, orcombinations thereof.

A recipient luminophoric medium 102A, 102B, 102C, or 102D includes oneor more luminescent materials and is positioned to receive light that isemitted by an LED or other semiconductor light emitting device. In someimplementations, recipient luminophoric mediums include layers havingluminescent materials that are coated or sprayed directly onto asemiconductor light emitting device or on surfaces of the packagingthereof, and clear encapsulants that include luminescent materials thatare arranged to partially or fully cover a semiconductor light emittingdevice. A recipient luminophoric medium may include one medium layer orthe like in which one or more luminescent materials are mixed, multiplestacked layers or mediums, each of which may include one or more of thesame or different luminescent materials, and/or multiple spaced apartlayers or mediums, each of which may include the same or differentluminescent materials. Suitable encapsulants are known by those skilledin the art and have suitable optical, mechanical, chemical, and thermalcharacteristics. In some implementations, encapsulants can includedimethyl silicone, phenyl silicone, epoxies, acrylics, andpolycarbonates. In some implementations, a recipient luminophoric mediumcan be spatially separated (i.e., remotely located) from an LED orsurfaces of the packaging thereof In some implementations, such spatialsegregation may involve separation of a distance of at least about 1 mm,at least about 2 mm, at least about 5 mm, or at least about 10 mm. Incertain embodiments, conductive thermal communication between aspatially segregated luminophoric medium and one or more electricallyactivated emitters is not substantial. Luminescent materials can includephosphors, scintillators, day glow tapes, nanophosphors, inks that glowin visible spectrum upon illumination with light, semiconductor quantumdots, or combinations thereof. In some implementations, the luminescentmaterials may comprise phosphors comprising one or more of the followingmaterials: BaMg₂Al₁₆O₂₇:Eu²⁺, BaMg₂Al₁₆O₂₇:Eu²⁺,Mn²⁺, CaSiO₃:Pb,Mn,CaWO₄:Pb, MgWO₄, Sr₅Cl(PO₄)₃:Eu²⁺, Sr₂P₂O₇:Sn²⁺, Sr₆P₅BO₂₀:Eu,Ca₅F(PO₄)₃:Sb, (Ba,Ti)₂P₂O₇:Ti, Sr₅F(PO₄)₃:Sb,Mn, (La,Ce,Tb)PO₄:Ce,Tb,(Ca,Zn,Mg)₃(PO₄)₂:Sn, (Sr,Mg)₃(PO₄)₂:Sn, Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺, Mg₄(F)GeO₆:Mn,LaMgAl₁₁O₁₉:Ce, LaPO₄:Ce, SrAl₁₂O₁₉:Ce, BaSi₂O₅:Pb, SrB₄O₇:Eu,Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Pb, Gd₂O₂S:Tb, Gd₂O₂S:Eu, Gd₂O₂S:Pr, Gd₂O₂S:Pr,Ce,F,Y₂O₂S:Tb, Y₂O₂S:Eu, Y₂O₂S:Pr, Zn(0.5)Cd(0.4)S:Ag, Zn(0.4)Cd(0.6)S:Ag,Y₂SiO₅:Ce, YAlO₃:Ce, Y₃(Al,Ga)₅O₁₂:Ce, CdS:In, ZnO:Ga, ZnO:Zn,(Zn,Cd)S:Cu,Al, ZnCdS:Ag,Cu, ZnS:Ag, ZnS:Cu, NaI:Tl,CsI:Tl, ⁶LiF/ZnS:Ag,⁶LiF/ZnS:Cu,Al,Au, ZnS:Cu,Al,ZnS:Cu,Au,Al,CaAlSiN₃:Eu, (Sr,Ca)AlSiN₃:Eu,(Ba,Ca,Sr,Mg)₂SiO₄:Eu, Lu₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce,Eu³⁺(Gd_(0.9)Y_(0.1))₃Al₅O₁₂:Bi³⁺,Tb³⁺, Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce, (La,Y)₃Si₆N₁₁:Ce,Ca₂AlSi₃O₂N₅:Ce³⁺, Ca₂AlSi₃O₂N₅:Eu²⁺, BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu, Sr₅(PO₄)₃Cl: Eu,(Ba,Ca,Sr,Mg)₂SiO₄:Eu, Si_(6−z)Al_(z)N_(8−z)O_(z):Eu (wherein 0<z≤4.2);M₃Si₆O₁₂N₂:Eu (wherein M=alkaline earth metal element),(Mg,Ca,Sr,Ba)Si₂O₂N₂:Eu, Sr₄Al₁₄O₂₅:Eu, (Ba,Sr,Ca)Al₂O₄:Eu,(Sr,Ba)Al₂Si₂O₈:Eu, (Ba,Mg)₂SiO₄:Eu, (Ba,Sr,Ca)₂(Mg, Zn)Si₂O₇:Eu,(Ba,Ca,Sr,Mg)₉(Sc,Y,Lu,Gd)₂(Si,Ge)₆O₂₄:Eu, Y₂SiO₅:CeTb,Sr₂P₂O₇—Sr₂B₂O₅:Eu, Sr₂Si₃O₈—2SrCl₂:Eu, Zn₂SiO₄:Mn, CeMgAl₁₁O₁₉:Tb,Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Tb, Ca₂Y₈(SiO₄)₆O₂:Tb, La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄:Tb,(Sr,Ba,Ca)Ga₂S₄:Eu,Tb,Sm, Y₃(Al,Ga)₅O₁₂:Ce,(Y,Ga,Tb,La,Sm,Pr,Lu)₃(Al,Ga)₅O₁₂:Ce, Ca₃Sc₂Si₃O₁₂:Ce,Ca₃(Sc,Mg,Na,Li)₂Si₃O₁₂:Ce, CaSc₂O₄:Ce, Eu-activated β-Sialon,SrAl₂O₄:Eu, (La,Gd,Y)₂O₂S:Tb, CeLaPO₄:Tb, ZnS:Cu,Al,ZnS:Cu,Au,Al,(Y,Ga,Lu,Sc,La)BO₃:Ce,Tb, Na₂Gd₂B₂O₇: Ce,Tb,(Ba,Sr)₂(Ca,Mg,Zn)B₂O₆:K,Ce,Tb, Ca₈Mg (SiO₄)₄Cl₂:Eu,Mn,(Sr,Ca,Ba)(Al,Ga,In)₂S₄:Eu, (Ca,Sr)₈(Mg,Zn)(SiO₄)₄Cl₂:Eu,Mn,M₃Si₆O₉N₄:Eu, Sr₅Al₅Si₂₁O₂N₃₅:Eu, Sr₃Si₁₃Al₃N₂₁O₂:Eu,(Mg,Ca,Sr,Ba)₂Si₅N₈:Eu, (La,Y)₂O₂S:Eu, (Y,La,Gd,Lu)₂O₂S:Eu, Y(V,P)O₄:Eu,(Ba,Mg)₂SiO₄:Eu,Mn, (Ba,Sr, Ca,Mg)₂SiO₄:Eu,Mn, LiW₂O₈:Eu, LiW₂O₈:Eu,Sm,Eu₂W₂O₉, Eu₂W₂O₉:Nb and Eu₂W₂O₉:Sm, (Ca,Sr)S:Eu, YAlO₃:Eu,Ca₂Y₈(SiO₄)₆O₂:Eu, LiY₉(SiO₄)₆O₂:Eu, (Y,Gd)₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce,(Tb,Gd)₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce, (Mg,Ca,Sr,Ba)₂Si₅(N,O)₈:Eu, (Mg,Ca,Sr,Ba)Si(N,O)₂:Eu,(Mg,Ca,Sr,Ba)AlSi(N,O)₃:Eu, (Sr,Ca,Ba,Mg)₁₀(PO₄)₆C₁₂:Eu, Mn,Eu,Ba₃MgSi₂O₈:Eu,Mn, (Ba,Sr,Ca,Mg)₃(Zn,Mg)Si₂O₈:Eu,Mn,(k-x)MgO·xAF₂.GeO₂:yMn⁴⁺ (wherein k=2.8 to 5, x=0.1 to 0.7, y=0.005 to0.015, A=Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn or a mixture thereof), Eu-activated α-Sialon,(Gd,Y,Lu,La)₂O₃:Eu, Bi, (Gd,Y,Lu,La)₂O₂S:Eu,Bi, (Gd,Y, Lu,La)VO₄:Eu,Bi,SrY₂S₄:Eu,Ce, CaLa₂S₄:Ce,Eu, (Ba,Sr,Ca)MgP₂O₇:Eu, Mn,(Sr,Ca,Ba,Mg,Zn)₂P₂O₇:Eu,Mn, (Y,Lu)₂WO₆:Eu,Ma,(Ba,Sr,Ca)_(x)Si_(y)N_(z):Eu,Ce (wherein x, y and z are integers equalto or greater than 1),(Ca,Sr,Ba,Mg)₁₀(PO₄)₆(F,Cl,Br,OH):Eu,Mn,((Y,Lu,Gd,Tb)_(1−x−y)Sc_(x)Ce_(y))₂(Ca,Mg)(Mg,Zn)_(2+r)Si_(z−q)Ge_(q)O_(12+δ),SrAlSi₄N_(7,) Sr₂Al₂Si₉O₂N₁₄:Eu, M¹ _(a)M² _(b)M³ _(c)O_(d) (whereinM¹=activator element including at least Ce, M²=bivalent metal element,M³=trivalent metal element, 0.0001≤a≤0.2, 0.8≤b≤1.2, 1.6≤c≤2.4 and3.2≤d≤4.8), A_(2+x)M_(y)Mn_(z)F_(n) (wherein A=Na and/or K; M=Si and Al,and −1≤x≤1, 0.9≤y+z≤1.1, 0.001≤z≤0.4 and 5≤n≤7), KSF/KSNAF, or(La_(1−x−y), Eu_(x), Ln_(y))₂O₂S (wherein 0.02≤x≤0.50 and 0≤y≤0.50,Ln=Y³⁺, Gd³⁺, Lu³⁺, Sc³⁺, Sm³⁺ or Er³⁺). In some preferredimplementations, the luminescent materials may comprise phosphorscomprising one or more of the following materials: CaAlSiN₃:Eu,(Sr,Ca)AlSiN₃:Eu, BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu, (Ba,Ca,Sr,Mg)₂SiO₄:Eu, β-SiAlON,Lu₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce, Eu³⁺(Cd_(0.9)Y_(0.1))₃Al₅O₁₂:Bi³⁺,Tb³⁺, Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce,La₃Si₆N₁₁:Ce, (La,Y)₃Si₆N₁₁:Ce, Ca₂AlSi₃O₂N₅:Ce³⁺,Ca₂AlSi₃O₂N₅:Ce³⁺,Eu²⁺, Ca₂AlSi₃O₂N₅:Eu²⁺, BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu²⁺,Sr_(4.5)Eu_(0.5)(PO₄)₃Cl, or M¹ _(a)M² _(b)M³ _(c)O_(d) (whereinM¹=activator element comprising Ce, M²=bivalent metal element,M³=trivalent metal element, 0.0001≤a≤0.2, 0.8≤b≤1.2, 1.6≤c≤2.4 and3.2d4.8). In further preferred implementations, the luminescentmaterials may comprise phosphors comprising one or more of the followingmaterials: CaAlSiN₃:Eu, BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu, Lu₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce, or Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce.

Some implementations of the present invention relate to use of solidstate emitter packages. A solid state emitter package typically includesat least one solid state emitter chip that is enclosed with packagingelements to provide environmental and/or mechanical protection, colorselection, and light focusing, as well as electrical leads, contacts ortraces enabling electrical connection to an external circuit.Encapsulant material, optionally including luminophoric material, may bedisposed over solid state emitters in a solid state emitter package.Multiple solid state emitters may be provided in a single package. Apackage including multiple solid state emitters may include at least oneof the following: a single leadframe arranged to conduct power to thesolid state emitters, a single reflector arranged to reflect at least aportion of light emanating from each solid state emitter, a singlesubmount supporting each solid state emitter, and a single lens arrangedto transmit at least a portion of light emanating from each solid stateemitter. Individual LEDs or groups of LEDs in a solid state package(e.g., wired in series) may be separately controlled. As depictedschematically in FIG. 2, multiple solid state packages 200 may bearranged in a single semiconductor light emitting device 100. Individualsolid state emitter packages or groups of solid state emitter packages(e.g., wired in series) may be separately controlled. Separate controlof individual emitters, groups of emitters, individual packages, orgroups of packages, may be provided by independently applying drivecurrents to the relevant components with control elements known to thoseskilled in the art. In one embodiment, at least one control circuit 201a may include a current supply circuit configured to independently applyan on-state drive current to each individual solid state emitter, groupof solid state emitters, individual solid state emitter package, orgroup of solid state emitter packages. Such control may be responsive toa control signal (optionally including at least one sensor 202 arrangedto sense electrical, optical, and/or thermal properties and/orenvironmental conditions), and a control system 203 may be configured toselectively provide one or more control signals to the at least onecurrent supply circuit. In various embodiments, current to differentcircuits or circuit portions may be pre-set, user-defined, or responsiveto one or more inputs or other control parameters. The design andfabrication of semiconductor light emitting devices are well known tothose skilled in the art, and hence further description thereof will beomitted.

FIG. 3 illustrates a 1931 International Commission on Illumination (CIE)chromaticity diagram. The 1931 CIE Chromaticity diagram is atwo-dimensional chromaticity space in which every visible color isrepresented by a point having x- and y-coordinates. Fully saturated(monochromatic) colors appear on the outer edge of the diagram, whileless saturated colors (which represent a combination of wavelengths)appear on the interior of the diagram. The term “saturated”, as usedherein, means having a purity of at least 85%, the term “purity” havinga well-known meaning to persons skilled in the art, and procedures forcalculating purity being well-known to those of skill in the art. ThePlanckian locus, or black body locus (BBL), represented by line 150 onthe diagram, follows the color an incandescent black body would take inthe chromaticity space as the temperature of the black body changes fromabout 1000 K to 10,000 K. The black body locus goes from deep red at lowtemperatures (about 1000 K) through orange, yellowish white, white, andfinally bluish white at very high temperatures. The temperature of ablack body radiator corresponding to a particular color in achromaticity space is referred to as the “correlated color temperature.”In general, light corresponding to a correlated color temperature (CCT)of about 2700 K to about 6500 K is considered to be “white” light. Inparticular, as used herein, “white light” generally refers to lighthaving a chromaticity point that is within a 10-step MacAdam ellipse ofa point on the black body locus having a CCT between 2700 K and 6500 K.However, it will be understood that tighter or looser definitions ofwhite light can be used if desired. For example, white light can referto light having a chromaticity point that is within a seven step MacAdamellipse of a point on the black body locus having a CCT between 2700 Kand 6500 K. The distance from the black body locus can be measured inthe CIE 1960 chromaticity diagram, and is indicated by the symbol Δuv,or DUV. If the chromaticity point is above the Planckian locus the DUVis denoted by a positive number; if the chromaticity point is below thelocus, DUV is indicated with a negative number. If the DUV issufficiently positive, the light source may appear greenish or yellowishat the same CCT. If the DUV is sufficiently negative, the light sourcecan appear to be purple or pinkish at the same CCT. Observers may preferlight above or below the Planckian locus for particular CCT values. DUVcalculation methods are well known by those of ordinary skill in the artand are more fully described in ANSI C78.377, American National Standardfor Electric Lamps—Specifications for the Chromaticity of Solid StateLighting (SSL) Products, which is incorporated by reference herein inits entirety for all purposes. A point representing the CIE StandardIlluminant D65 is also shown on the diagram. The D65 illuminant isintended to represent average daylight and has a CCT of approximately6500K and the spectral power distribution is described more fully inJoint ISO/CIE Standard, ISO 10526:1999/CIE 5005/E-1998, CIE StandardIlluminants for Colorimetry, which is incorporated by reference hereinin its entirety for all purposes.

The light emitted by a light source may be represented by a point on achromaticity diagram, such as the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram, havingcolor coordinates denoted (ccx, ccy) on the X-Y axes of the diagram. Aregion on a chromaticity diagram may represent light sources havingsimilar chromaticity coordinates.

The ability of a light source to accurately reproduce color inilluminated objects is typically characterized using the color renderingindex (“CRI”), also referred to as the CIE Ra value. The Ra value of alight source is a modified average of the relative measurements of howthe color rendition of an illumination system compares to that of areference black-body radiator or daylight spectrum when illuminatingeight reference colors R1-R8. Thus, the Ra value is a relative measureof the shift in surface color of an object when lit by a particularlamp. The Ra value equals 100 if the color coordinates of a set of testcolors being illuminated by the illumination system are the same as thecoordinates of the same test colors being irradiated by a referencelight source of equivalent CCT. For CCTs less than 5000 K, the referenceilluminants used in the CRI calculation procedure are the SPDs ofblackbody radiators; for CCTs above 5000 K, imaginary SPDs calculatedfrom a mathematical model of daylight are used. These reference sourceswere selected to approximate incandescent lamps and daylight,respectively. Daylight generally has an Ra value of nearly 100,incandescent bulbs have an Ra value of about 95, fluorescent lightingtypically has an Ra value of about 70 to 85, while monochromatic lightsources have an Ra value of essentially zero. Light sources for generalillumination applications with an Ra value of less than 50 are generallyconsidered very poor and are typically only used in applications whereeconomic issues preclude other alternatives. The calculation of CIE Ravalues is described more fully in Commission Internationale del'Éclairage. 1995. Technical Report: Method of Measuring and SpecifyingColour Rendering Properties of Light Sources, CIE No. 13.3-1995. Vienna,Austria: Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage, which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. In addition to theRa value, a light source can also be evaluated based on a measure of itsability to render a saturated red reference color R9, also known as testcolor sample 9 (“TCS09”), with the R9 color rendering value (“R9value”). Light sources can further be evaluated by calculating the gamutarea index (“GAT”). Connecting the rendered color points from thedetermination of the CIE Ra value in two dimensional space will form agamut area. Gamut area index is calculated by dividing the gamut areaformed by the light source with the gamut area formed by a referencesource using the same set of colors that are used for CRT. GAT uses anEqual Energy Spectrum as the reference source rather than a black bodyradiator. A gamut area index related to a black body radiator (“GAIBB”)can be calculated by using the gamut area formed by the blackbodyradiator at the equivalent CCT to the light source.

In some exemplary implementations, the present disclosure providessemiconductor light emitting devices 100 that include a plurality of LEDstrings, with each LED string having a recipient luminophoric mediumthat comprises a luminescent material. The LED(s) in each string and theluminophoric medium in each string together emit an unsaturated lighthaving a color point within a color range in the 1931 CIE chromaticitydiagram. A “color range” in the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram refers toa bounded area defining a group of color coordinates (ccx, ccy).

In some implementations, four LED strings (101A/101B/101C/101D) arepresent in a device 100, and the LED strings can have recipientluminophoric mediums (102A/102B/102C/102D). A first LED string 101A anda first luminophoric medium 102A together can emit a first light havinga first color point within a blue color range. The combination of thefirst LED string 101A and the first luminophoric medium 102A are alsoreferred to herein as a “blue channel.” A second LED string 101B and asecond luminophoric medium 102B together can emit a second light havinga second color point within a red color range. The combination of thesecond LED string 101A and the second luminophoric medium 102A are alsoreferred to herein as a “red channel.” A third LED string 101C and athird luminophoric medium 102C together can emit a third light having athird color point within a yellow/green color range. The combination ofthe third LED string 101A and the third luminophoric medium 102A arealso referred to herein as a “yellow/green channel.” A fourth LED string101D and a fourth luminophoric medium 102D together can emit a fourthlight having a fourth color point within a cyan color range. Thecombination of the fourth LED string 101A and the fourth luminophoricmedium 102A are also referred to herein as a “cyan channel.” The first,second, third, and fourth LED strings 101A/101B/101C/101D can beprovided with independently applied on-state drive currents in order totune the intensity of the first, second, third, and fourth unsaturatedlight produced by each string and luminophoric medium together. Byvarying the drive currents in a controlled manner, the color coordinate(ccx, ccy) of the total light that is emitted from the device 100 can betuned. In some implementations, the device 100 can provide light atsubstantially the same color coordinate with different spectral powerdistribution profiles, which can result in different lightcharacteristics at the same CCT. In some implementations, white lightcan be generated in modes that only produce light from two or three ofthe LED strings. In one implementation, white light is generated usingonly the first, second, and third LED strings, i.e. the blue, red, andyellow/green channels. In another implementation, white light isgenerated using only the first, second, and fourth LED strings, i.e.,the blue, red, and cyan channels. In some implementations, only two ofthe LED strings are producing light during the generation of whitelight, as the other two LED strings are not necessary to generate whitelight at the desired color point with the desired color renderingperformance.

In some implementations, the first color point within a blue color rangecan be generated using a first LED string driven by a plurality of blueLEDs with at least two different peak emission wavelengths. In somepreferred implementations, two different blue LEDs are used in thedevice, having 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color points of (0.1574,0.0389) and (0.1310, 0.0651) and having peak emission wavelengths ofapproximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm and approximately 460 nm toapproximately 465 nm, respectively. In some implementations the twodifferent LEDs in the first LED string can utilize different recipientluminophoric mediums. In other implementations, the two different LEDsin the first LED string can utilize a common recipient luminophoricmedium. The plurality of LEDs and the one or more recipient luminophoricmediums can generate a combined emission of a blue color point withinthe suitable ranges 301A-C described elsewhere herein.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D depict suitable color ranges for someimplementations of the disclosure. FIG. 4A depicts a cyan color range304A defined by a line connecting the ccx, ccy color coordinates (0.18,0.55) and (0.27, 0.72), the constant CCT line of 9000 K, the Planckianlocus between 9000 K and 4600 K, the constant CCT line of 4600 K, andthe spectral locus. FIG. 4B depicts a yellow/green color range 303Adefined by the constant CCT line of 4600 K, the Planckian locus between4600 K and 550 K, the spectral locus, and a line connecting the ccx, ccycolor coordinates (0.445, 0.555) and (0.38, 0.505). FIG. 4C depicts ablue color range 301A defined by a line connecting the ccx, ccy colorcoordinates of the infinity point of the Planckian locus (0.242, 0.24)and (0.12, 0.068), the Planckian locus from 4000 K and infinite CCT, theconstant CCT line of 4000 K, the line of purples, and the spectrallocus. FIG. 4D depicts a red color range 302A defined by the spectrallocus between the constant CCT line of 1600 K and the line of purples,the line of purples, a line connecting the ccx, ccy color coordinates(0.61, 0.21) and (0.47, 0.28), and the constant CCT line of 1600 K. Itshould be understood that any gaps or openings in the describedboundaries for the color ranges 301A, 302A, 303A, 304A should be closedwith straight lines to connect adjacent endpoints in order to define aclosed boundary for each color range.

In some implementations, suitable color ranges can be narrower thanthose depicted in FIGS. 4A-4D. FIG. 5 depicts some suitable color rangesfor some implementations of the disclosure. A blue color range 301B canbe defined by a 60-step MacAdam ellipse at a CCT of 20000K, 40 pointsbelow the Planckian locus. A red color range 302B can be defined by a20-step MacAdam ellipse at a CCT of 1200K, 20 points below the Planckianlocus. A yellow/green color range 303B can be defined by a 16-stepMacAdam ellipse at a CCT of 3700 K, 30 points above Planckian locus. Acyan color range 304B can be defined by 30-step MacAdam ellipse at a CCTof 6000 K, 68 points above the Planckian locus. FIG. 6 depicts somefurther color ranges suitable for some implementations of thedisclosure: blue color range 301C, red color range 302C, yellow/greencolor range 303C, and cyan color range 304C.

In some implementations, the LEDs in the first, second, third and fourthLED strings can be LEDs with peak emission wavelengths at or below about535 nm. In some implementations, the LEDs emit light with peak emissionwavelengths between about 360 nm and about 535 nm. In someimplementations, the LEDs in the first, second, third and fourth LEDstrings can be formed from InGaN semiconductor materials. In somepreferred implementations, the first, second, and third LED strings canhave LEDs having a peak wavelength between about 405 nm and about 485nm. In some implementations the fourth LED string can have LEDs having apeak wavelength between about 485 nm and about 520 nm. The LEDs used inthe first, second, third, and fourth LED strings may have full-widthhalf-maximum wavelength ranges of between about 10 nm and about 30 nm.In some preferred implementations, the first, second, and third LEDstrings can include LUXEON Z Color Line royal blue LEDs (product codeLXZ1-PR01) of color bin codes 3, 4, 5, or 6 or LUXEON Z Color Line blueLEDs (LXZ1-PB01) of color bin code 1 or 2 (Lumileds Holding B.V.,Amsterdam, Netherlands). In some preferred implementations, the fourthLED string can have LUXEON Z Color Line blue LEDs (LXZ1-PB01) of colorbin code 5 or LUXEON Z Color Line cyan LEDs (LXZ1-PE01) color bin code1, 2, 6, 7, 8, or 9 (Lumileds Holding B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands). Thewavelength information for these color bins is provided in the table inFIG. 16. Similar LEDs from other manufacturers such as OSRAM GmbH andCree, Inc. could also be used, provided they have peak emission andfull-width half-maximum wavelengths of the appropriate values.

FIG. 7 shows that the spectral power distribution ratios of theunsaturated light from the blue channels for some implementations of thepresent disclosure may be between 27.0 and 65.1 for the wavelength rangeof 501 nm to 600 nm, between 24.8 and 46.4 for the wavelength range of601 nm to 700 nm, and between 1.1 and 6.8 for the wavelength range of701 nm to 780 nm, relative to a value of 100.0 for the wavelength rangeof 380 nm to 500 nm. FIG. 7 shows that the spectral power distributionratios of the unsaturated light from the red channels for someimplementations of the present disclosure may be between 3.3 and 17.4for the wavelength range of 380 nm to 500 nm, between 8.9 and 24.8 forthe wavelength range of 501 nm to 600 nm, and between 1.1 and 18.1 forthe wavelength range of 701 nm to 780 nm, relative to a value of 100.0for the wavelength range of 601 nm to 700 nm. FIG. 7 shows that thespectral power distribution ratios of the unsaturated light from theyellow/green channels for some implementations of the present disclosuremay be between 2.4 and 35.8 for the wavelength range of 380 nm to 500nm, between 61.2 and 142.0 for the wavelength range of 601 nm to 700 nm,and between 7.9 and 21.1 for the wavelength range of 701 nm to 780 nm,relative to a value of 100.0 for the wavelength range of 501 nm to 600nm. FIG. 7 shows that the spectral power distribution ratios of theunsaturated light from the cyan channels for some implementations of thepresent disclosure may be between 19.9 and 32.2 for the wavelength rangeof 380 nm to 500 nm, between 14.7 and 42.4 for the wavelength range of601 nm to 700 nm, and between 1.3 and 6.1 for the wavelength range of701 nm to 780 nm, relative to a value of 100.0 for the wavelength rangeof 501 nm to 600 nm.

FIG. 8 shows that the spectral power distribution ratios of theunsaturated light from the blue channels for some implementations of thepresent disclosure may be between 0.3 and 8.1 for the wavelength rangeof 380-420 nm, between 20.9 and 196.1 for the wavelength range of461-500 nm, between 15.2 and 35.6 for the wavelength range of 501-540nm, between 25.3 and 40.5 for the wavelength range of 541-580 nm,between 26.3 and 70 for the wavelength range of 581-620 nm, between 15.4and 80.2 for the wavelength range of 621-660 nm, between 5.9 and 20.4for the wavelength range of 661-700 nm, between 2.3 and 7.8 for thewavelength range of 701-740 nm, and between 1.0 and 2.3 for thewavelength range of 741-780 nm, relative to a value of 100.0 for thewavelength range of 421-460 nm. FIG. 8 shows that the spectral powerdistribution ratios of the unsaturated light from the red channels forsome implementations of the present disclosure may be between 0 and 14.8for the wavelength range of 380-420 nm, between 2.1 and 157.8 for thewavelength range of 421-460 nm, between 2.0 and 6.7 for the wavelengthrange of 461-500 nm, between 1.4 and 12.2 for the wavelength range of501-540 nm, between 8.7 and 20.5 for the wavelength range of 541-580 nm,between 48.5 and 102.8 for the wavelength range of 581-620 nm, between1.8 and 74.3 for the wavelength range of 661-700 nm, between 0.5 and29.5 for the wavelength range of 701-740 nm, and between 0.3 and 9.0 forthe wavelength range of 741-780 nm, relative to a value of 100.0 for thewavelength range of 621-660 nm. FIG. 8 shows that the spectral powerdistribution ratios of the unsaturated light from the yellow/greenchannels for some implementations of the present disclosure may bebetween 0.0 and 1.1 for the wavelength range of 380-420 nm, between 1.0and 25.3 for the wavelength range of 421-460 nm, between 4.2 and 52.7for the wavelength range of 461-500 nm, between 56.6 and 77.5 for thewavelength range of 501-540 nm, between 80.5 and 123.4 for thewavelength range of 581-620 nm, between 48.4 and 144.9 for thewavelength range of 621-660 nm, between 12.6 and 88.8 for the wavelengthrange of 661-700 nm, between 3.2 and 34.4 for the wavelength range of701-740 nm, and between 1.0 and 10.5 for the wavelength range of 741-780nm, relative to a value of 100.0 for the wavelength range of 541-580 nm.FIG. 8 shows that the spectral power distribution ratios of theunsaturated light from the cyan channels for some implementations of thepresent disclosure may be between 0.1 and 0.7 for the wavelength rangeof 380-420 nm, between 0.5 and 1.6 for the wavelength range of 421-460nm, between 39.6 and 58.6 for the wavelength range of 461-500 nm,between 62.0 and 80.4 for the wavelength range of 541-580 nm, between41.6 and 59.9 for the wavelength range of 581-620 nm, between 23.1 and57.1 for the wavelength range of 621-660 nm, between 6.6 and 35.0 forthe wavelength range of 661-700 nm, between 1.8 and 13.5 for thewavelength range of 701-740 nm, between 0.6 and 4.1 for the wavelengthrange of 741-780 nm, relative to a value of 100.0 for the wavelengthrange of 501-540 nm.

In implementations utilizing LEDs that emit substantially saturatedlight at wavelengths between 380 nm 535 nm, the device 100 can includesuitable recipient luminophoric mediums for each LED in order to producelight having color points within the suitable blue color ranges 301A-C,red color ranges 302A-C, yellow/green color ranges 303A-C, and cyancolor ranges 304A-C described herein. The light emitted by each LEDstring, i.e., the light emitted from the LED(s) and associated recipientluminophoric medium together, can have a spectral power distribution(“SPD”) having spectral power with ratios of power across the visiblewavelength spectrum from approximately 380 nm to approximately 780 nm.While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is speculatedthat the use of such LEDs in combination with recipient luminophoricmediums to create unsaturated light within the suitable color ranges301A-C, 302A-C, 303A-C, and 304A-C provides for improved color renderingperformance for white light across a predetermined range of CCTs from asingle device 100. Some suitable ranges for spectral power distributionratios of the light emitted by the four LED strings(101A/101B/101C/101D) and recipient luminophoric mediums(102A/102B/102C/102D) together are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The figuresshow the ratios of spectral power within wavelength ranges, with anarbitrary reference wavelength range selected for each color range andnormalized to a value of 100.0. FIGS. 7 and 8 show suitable minimum andmaximum values for the spectral intensities within various rangesrelative to the normalized range with a value of 100.0, for the colorpoints within the blue, cyan, yellow/green (“yag”), and red colorranges. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it isspeculated that because the spectral power distributions for generatedlight with color points within the blue, cyan, and yellow/green colorranges contains higher spectral intensity across red wavelengths ascompared to lighting apparatuses and methods that utilize more saturatedcolors, this allows for improved color rendering, with particularlyimproved color rendering for the R9 test color.

Blends of luminescent materials can be used in luminophoric mediums(102A/102B/102C/102D) to create luminophoric mediums having the desiredsaturated color points when excited by their respective LED strings(101A/101B/101C/101D) including luminescent materials such as thosedisclosed in co-pending application PCT/US2016/015318 filed Jan. 28,2016 entitled “Compositions for LED Light Conversions” the entirety ofwhich is hereby incorporated by this reference as if fully set forthherein. Traditionally, a desired combined output light can be generatedalong a tie line between the LED string output light color point and thesaturated color point of the associated recipient luminophoric medium byutilizing different ratios of total luminescent material to theencapsulant material in which it is incorporated. Increasing the amountof luminescent material in the optical path will shift the output lightcolor point towards the saturated color point of the luminophoricmedium. In some instances, the desired saturated color point of arecipient luminophoric medium can be achieved by blending two or moreluminescent materials in a ratio. The appropriate ratio to achieve thedesired saturated color point can be determined via methods known in theart. Generally speaking, any blend of luminescent materials can betreated as if it were a single luminescent material, thus the ratio ofluminescent materials in the blend can be adjusted to continue to meet atarget CIE value for LED strings having different peak emissionwavelengths. Luminescent materials can be tuned for the desiredexcitation in response to the selected LEDs used in the LED strings(101A/101B/101C/101D), which may have different peak emissionwavelengths within the range of from about 360 nm to about 535 nm.Suitable methods for tuning the response of luminescent materials areknown in the art and may include altering the concentrations of dopantswithin a phosphor, for example.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, luminophoric mediumscan be provided with combinations of two types of luminescent materials.The first type of luminescent material emits light at a peak emissionbetween about 515 nm and about 590 nm in response to the associated LEDstring emission. The second type of luminescent material emits at a peakemission between about 590 nm and about 700 nm in response to theassociated LED string emission. In some instances, the luminophoricmediums disclosed herein can be formed from a combination of at leastone luminescent material of the first and second types described in thisparagraph. In implementations, the luminescent materials of the firsttype can emit light at a peak emission at about 515 nm, 525 nm, 530 nm,535 nm, 540 nm, 545 nm, 550 nm, 555 nm, 560 nm, 565 nm, 570 nm, 575 nm,580 nm, 585 nm, or 590 nm in response to the associated LED stringemission. In preferred implementations, the luminescent materials of thefirst type can emit light at a peak emission between about 520 nm toabout 555 nm. In implementations, the luminescent materials of thesecond type can emit light at a peak emission at about 590 nm, about 595nm, 600 nm, 605 nm, 610 nm, 615 nm, 620 nm, 625 nm, 630 nm, 635 nm, 640nm, 645 nm, 650 nm, 655 nm, 670 nm, 675 nm, 680 nm, 685 nm, 690 nm, 695nm, or 670 nm in response to the associated LED string emission. Inpreferred implementations, the luminescent materials of the first typecan emit light at a peak emission between about 600 nm to about 670 nm.Some exemplary luminescent materials of the first and second type aredisclosed elsewhere herein and referred to as Compositions A-F. Table 1shows aspects of some exemplar luminescent materials and properties:

TABLE 1 Emission Emission Peak FWHM Density Peak FWHM Range RangeDesignator Exemplary Material(s) (g/mL) (nm) (nm) (nm) (nm) CompositionLuag: Cerium doped 6.73 535 95 530-540  90-100 “A” lutetium aluminumgarnet (Lu₃Al₅O₁₂) Composition Yag: Cerium doped yttrium 4.7 550 110545-555 105-115 “B” aluminum garnet (Y₃Al₅O₁₂) Composition a 650 nm-peakwavelength 3.1 650 90 645-655 85-95 “C” emission phosphor: Europiumdoped calcium aluminum silica nitride (CaAlSiN₃) Composition a 525nm-peak wavelength 3.1 525 60 520-530 55-65 “D” emission phosphor: GBAM:BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇: Eu Composition a 630 nm-peak wavelength 5.1 630 40 625-63535-45 “E” emission quantum dot: any semiconductor quantum dot materialof appropriate size for desired emission wavelengths Composition a 610nm-peak wavelength 5.1 610 40 605-615 35-45 “F” emission quantum dot:any semiconductor quantum dot material of appropriate size for desiredemission wavelengths

Blends of Compositions A-F can be used in luminophoric mediums(102A/102B/102C/102D) to create luminophoric mediums having the desiredsaturated color points when excited by their respective LED strings(101A/101B/101C/101D). In some implementations, one or more blends ofone or more of Compositions A-F can be used to produce luminophoricmediums (102A/102B/102C/102D). In some preferred implementations, one ormore of Compositions A, B, and D and one or more of Compositions C, E,and F can be combined to produce luminophoric mediums(102A/102B/102C/102D). In some preferred implementations, theencapsulant for luminophoric mediums (102A/102B/102C/102D) comprises amatrix material having density of about 1.1 mg/mm³ and refractive indexof about 1.545 or from about 1.4 to about 1.6. In some implementations,Composition A can have a refractive index of about 1.82 and a particlesize from about 18 micrometers to about 40 micrometers. In someimplementations, Composition B can have a refractive index of about 1.84and a particle size from about 13 micrometers to about 30 micrometers.In some implementations, Composition C can have a refractive index ofabout 1.8 and a particle size from about 10 micrometers to about 15micrometers. In some implementations, Composition D can have arefractive index of about 1.8 and a particle size from about 10micrometers to about 15 micrometers. Suitable phosphor materials forCompositions A, B, C, and D are commercially available from phosphormanufacturers such as Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation (Tokyo,Japan), Intematix Corporation (Fremont, Calif.), EMD PerformanceMaterials of Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany), and PhosphorTechCorporation (Kennesaw, Ga.).

In some aspects, the present disclosure provides semiconductor lightemitting devices capable to producing tunable white light through arange of CCT values. In some implementations, devices can output whitelight at color points along a predetermined path within a 7-step MacAdamellipse around any point on the black body locus having a correlatedcolor temperature between 1800 K and 10000 K. In some implementations,the devices can generate white light corresponding to a plurality ofpoints along a predefined path with the light generated at each pointhaving light with one or more of Ra≥90, R9≥60, and GAIBB≥95. In somepreferred implementations, the devices of the present disclosure cangenerate white light so that it falls within a 7-step MacAdam ellipsearound any point on the black body locus having a correlated colortemperature between 1800 K and 6500 K, and generate the fifthunsaturated light corresponding to a plurality of points along apredefined path with the light generated at each point having light withone or more of Ra≥90, R9≥75, and GAIBB≥95.

EXAMPLES General Simulation Method.

Devices having four LED strings with particular color points weresimulated. For each device, LED strings and recipient luminophoricmediums with particular emissions were selected, and then white lightrendering capabilities were calculated for a select number ofrepresentative points on or near the Planckian locus between about 1800K and 10000 K. The CIE Ra value, R9 value, GAI, and GAIBB werecalculated at each representative point.

The calculations were performed with Scilab (Scilab Enterprises,Versailles, France), LightTools (Synopsis, Inc., Mountain View, Calif.),and custom software created using Python (Python Software Foundation,Beaverton, OR). Each LED string was simulated with an LED emissionspectrum and excitation and emission spectra of luminophoric medium(s).For luminophoric mediums comprising phosphors, the simulations alsoincluded the absorption spectrum and particle size of phosphorparticles. The LED strings generating combined emissions within blue,red and yellow/green color regions were prepared using spectra of aLUXEON Z Color Line royal blue LED (product code LXZ1-PR01) of color bincodes 3, 4, 5, or 6 or a LUXEON Z Color Line blue LED (LXZ1-PB01) ofcolor bin code 1 or 2 (Lumileds Holding B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands).The LED strings generating combined emissions with color points withinthe cyan regions were prepared using spectra of a LUXEON Z Color Lineblue LED (LXZ1-PB01) of color bin code 5 or LUXEON Z Color Line cyan LED(LXZ1-PE01) color bin code 1, 8, or 9 (Lumileds Holding B.V., Amsterdam,Netherlands). Similar LEDs from other manufacturers such as OSRAM GmbHand Cree, Inc. could also be used.

The emission, excitation and absorption curves are available fromcommercially available phosphor manufacturers such as MitsubishiChemical Holdings Corporation (Tokyo, Japan), Intematix Corporation(Fremont, Calif.), EMD Performance Materials of Merck KGaA (Darmstadt,Germany), and PhosphorTech Corporation (Kennesaw, Ga.). The luminophoricmediums used in the LED strings were combinations of one or more ofCompositions A, B, and D and one or more of Compositions C, E, and F asdescribed more fully elsewhere herein. Those of skill in the artappreciate that various combinations of LEDs and luminescent blends canbe combined to generate combined emissions with desired color points onthe 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram and the desired spectral powerdistributions.

Example 1

A semiconductor light emitting device was simulated having four LEDstrings. A first LED string is driven by a blue LED having peak emissionwavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm, utilizes arecipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combined emission of ablue color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color point of(0.2625, 0.1763). A second LED string is driven by a blue LED havingpeak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combinedemission of a red color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram colorpoint of (0.5842, 0.3112). A third LED string is driven by a blue LEDhaving peak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately455 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates acombined emission of a yellow/green color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.4482, 0.5258). A fourth LEDstring is driven by a cyan LED having a peak emission wavelength ofapproximately 505 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, andgenerates a combined emission of a cyan color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.3258, 0.5407). FIG. 9 showscolor-rendering characteristics of the device for a representativeselection of white light color points near the Planckian locus. Table 2below shows the spectral power distributions for the blue, red,yellow-green, and cyan color points generated by the device of thisExample, with spectral power shown within wavelength ranges innanometers from 380 nm to 780 nm, with an arbitrary reference wavelengthrange selected for each color range and normalized to a value of 100.0:

TABLE 2 380- 421- 461- 501- 541- 581- 621- 661- 701- 741- 420 460 500540 580 620 660 700 740 780 Blue 0.4 100.0 20.9 15.2 25.3 26.3 25.1 13.95.2 1.6 Red 0.0 9.6 2.0 1.4 9.0 48.5 100.0 73.1 29.5 9.0 Yellow- 1.0 1.15.7 75.8 100.0 83.6 69.6 40.9 15.6 4.7 Green Cyan 0.1 0.5 53.0 100.065.0 41.6 23.1 11.6 4.2 0.6

Example 2

A semiconductor light emitting device was simulated having four LEDstrings. A first LED string is driven by a blue LED having peak emissionwavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm, utilizes arecipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combined emission of ablue color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color point of(0.2625, 0.1763). A second LED string is driven by a blue LED havingpeak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combinedemission of a red color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram colorpoint of (0.5842, 0.3112). A third LED string is driven by a blue LEDhaving peak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately455 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates acombined emission of a yellow/green color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.5108, 0.4708). A fourth LEDstring is driven by a cyan LED having a peak emission wavelength ofapproximately 505 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, andgenerates a combined emission of a cyan color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.3258, 0.5407). FIG. 10 showscolor-rendering characteristics of the device for a representativeselection of white light color points near the Planckian locus. Table 3below shows the spectral power distributions for the blue, red,yellow-green, and cyan color points generated by the device of thisExample, with spectral power shown within wavelength ranges innanometers from 380 nm to 780 nm, with an arbitrary reference wavelengthrange selected for each color range and normalized to a value of 100.0:

TABLE 3 380- 421- 461- 501- 541- 581- 621- 661- 701- 741- 420 460 500540 580 620 660 700 740 780 Blue 0.3 100.0 196.1 33.0 40.3 38.2 34.220.4 7.8 2.3 Red 0.0 157.8 2.0 1.4 9.0 48.5 100.0 73.1 29.5 9.0 Yellow-0.0 1.0 4.2 56.6 100.0 123.4 144.9 88.8 34.4 10.5 Green Cyan 0.1 0.553.0 100.0 65.0 41.6 23.1 11.6 4.2 0.6

Example 3

A semiconductor light emitting device was simulated having four LEDstrings. A first LED string is driven by a blue LED having peak emissionwavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm, utilizes arecipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combined emission of ablue color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color point of(0.2219, 0.1755). A second LED string is driven by a blue LED havingpeak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combinedemission of a red color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram colorpoint of (0.5702, 0.3869). A third LED string is driven by a blue LEDhaving peak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately455 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates acombined emission of a yellow/green color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.3722, 0.4232). A fourth LEDstring is driven by a cyan LED having a peak emission wavelength ofapproximately 505 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, andgenerates a combined emission of a cyan color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.3704, 0.5083). FIG. 11 showscolor-rendering characteristics of the device for a representativeselection of white light color points near the Planckian locus. Table 4below shows the spectral power distributions for the blue, red,yellow-green, and cyan color points generated by the device of thisExample, with spectral power shown within wavelength ranges innanometers from 380 nm to 780 nm, with an arbitrary reference wavelengthrange selected for each color range and normalized to a value of 100.0:

TABLE 4 380- 421- 461- 501- 541- 581- 621- 661- 701- 741- 420 460 500540 580 620 660 700 740 780 Blue 8.1 100.0 188.1 35.6 40.0 70.0 80.212.4 2.3 1.0 Red 0.7 2.1 4.1 12.2 20.5 51.8 100.0 74.3 29.3 8.4 Yellow-1.0 25.3 52.7 77.5 100.0 80.5 62.0 35.1 13.3 4.0 Green Cyan 0.4 1.5 55.5100.0 65.3 59.9 57.1 35.0 13.5 4.1

Example 4

A semiconductor light emitting device was simulated having four LEDstrings. A first LED string is driven by a blue LED having peak emissionwavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm, utilizes arecipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combined emission of ablue color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color point of(0.2387, 0.1692). A second LED string is driven by a blue LED havingpeak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combinedemission of a red color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram colorpoint of (0.5563, 0.3072). A third LED string is driven by a blue LEDhaving peak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately455 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates acombined emission of a yellow/green color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.4494, 0.5161). A fourth LEDstring is driven by a cyan LED having a peak emission wavelength ofapproximately 505 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, andgenerates a combined emission of a cyan color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.3548, 0.5484). FIG. 12 showscolor-rendering characteristics of the device for a representativeselection of white light color points near the Planckian locus. Table 5below shows the spectral power distributions for the blue, red,yellow-green, and cyan color points generated by the device of thisExample, with spectral power shown within wavelength ranges innanometers from 380 nm to 780 nm, with an arbitrary reference wavelengthrange selected for each color range and normalized to a value of 100.0:

TABLE 5 380- 421- 461- 501- 541- 581- 621- 661- 701- 741- 420 460 500540 580 620 660 700 740 780 Blue 1.9 100.0 34.4 32.1 40.5 29.0 15.4 5.92.8 1.5 Red 14.8 10.5 6.7 8.7 8.7 102.8 100.0 11.0 1.5 1.1 Yellow- 1.12.3 5.9 61.0 100.0 85.0 51.0 12.6 3.2 1.0 Green Cyan 0.7 1.6 39.6 100.080.4 53.0 24.9 9.5 3.3 1.2

Example 5

A semiconductor light emitting device was simulated having four LEDstrings. A first LED string is driven by a blue LED having peak emissionwavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm, utilizes arecipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combined emission of ablue color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color point of(0.2524, 0.223). A second LED string is driven by a blue LED having peakemission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm,utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combinedemission of a red color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram colorpoint of (0.5941, 0.3215). A third LED string is driven by a blue LEDhaving peak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately455 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates acombined emission of a yellow/green color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.4338, 0.5195). A fourth LEDstring is driven by a cyan LED having a peak emission wavelength ofapproximately 505 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, andgenerates a combined emission of a cyan color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.3361, 0.5257). FIG. 13 showscolor-rendering characteristics of the device for a representativeselection of white light color points near the Planckian locus. Table 6below shows the spectral power distributions for the blue, red,yellow-green, and cyan color points generated by the device of thisExample, with spectral power shown within wavelength ranges innanometers from 380 nm to 780 nm, with an arbitrary reference wavelengthrange selected for each color range and normalized to a value of 100.0:

TABLE 6 380- 421- 461- 501- 541- 581- 621- 661- 701- 741- 420 460 500540 580 620 660 700 740 780 Blue 1.9 100.0 34.4 32.1 40.5 29.0 15.4 5.92.8 1.5 Red 0.2 8.5 3.0 5.5 9.5 60.7 100.0 1.8 0.5 0.3 Yellow- 0.8 5.66.3 73.4 100.0 83.8 48.4 19.5 6.5 2.0 Green Cyan 0.2 1.4 58.6 100.0 62.047.5 28.2 6.6 1.8 0.6

Example 6

A semiconductor light emitting device was simulated having four LEDstrings. A first LED string is driven by two different blue LEDs having1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color points of (0.1574, 0.0389) and(0.1310, 0.0651) and having peak emission wavelengths of approximately450 nm to approximately 455 nm and approximately 460 nm to approximately465 nm, respectively. The two LEDs in the first LED string utilize ashared recipient luminophoric medium, and generate a combined emissionof a blue color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color pointof (0.2524, 0.223). A second LED string is driven by a blue LED havingpeak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combinedemission of a red color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram colorpoint of (0.5702, 0.3869). A third LED string is driven by a blue LEDhaving peak emission wavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately455 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, and generates acombined emission of a yellow/green color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.5108, 0.4708). A fourth LEDstring is driven by a cyan LED having a peak emission wavelength ofapproximately 505 nm, utilizes a recipient luminophoric medium, andgenerates a combined emission of a cyan color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.3704, 0.5083). FIG. 14 showscolor-rendering characteristics of the device for a representativeselection of white light color points near the Planckian locus. Table 7below shows the spectral power distributions for the first and secondblue, red, yellow-green, and cyan color points generated by the deviceof this Example, with spectral power shown within wavelength ranges innanometers from 380 nm to 780 nm, with an arbitrary reference wavelengthrange selected for each color range and normalized to a value of 100.0:

TABLE 7 380- 421- 461- 501- 541- 581- 621- 661- 701- 741- 420 460 500540 580 620 660 700 740 780 Blue 1 1.9 100.0 34.4 32.1 40.5 29.0 15.45.9 2.8 1.5 Blue 2 0.5 100.0 347.8 11.5 1.2 0.8 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.1 Red 0.72.1 4.1 12.2 20.5 51.8 100.0 74.3 29.3 8.4 Yellow- 0.0 1.0 4.2 56.6100.0 123.4 144.9 88.8 34.4 10.5 Green Cyan 0.4 1.5 55.5 100.0 65.3 59.957.1 35.0 13.5 4.1

Example 7

A semiconductor light emitting device was simulated having four LEDstrings. A first LED string is driven by two different blue LEDs. Thefirst blue LED has a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color point of(0.1574, 0.0389) and has peak emission wavelength of approximately 450nm to approximately 455 nm. The second blue LED has a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color point of (0.1310, 0.0651) and has peakemission wavelength of approximately 460 nm to approximately 465 nm. Thetwo LEDs in the first LED string utilize individual recipientluminophoric mediums and generate a combined emission of a blue colorpoint with a 1931 CIE chromaticity blue color point with a 1931 CIEchromaticity diagram color coordinates of (0.2625, 0.1763). A second LEDstring is driven by a blue LED having peak emission wavelength ofapproximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm, utilizes a recipientluminophoric medium, and generates a combined emission of a red colorpoint with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color point of (0.5842,0.3112). A third LED string is driven by a blue LED having peak emissionwavelength of approximately 450 nm to approximately 455 nm, utilizes arecipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combined emission of ayellow/green color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram colorpoint of (0.5108, 0.4708). A fourth LED string is driven by a cyan LEDhaving a peak emission wavelength of approximately 505 nm, utilizes arecipient luminophoric medium, and generates a combined emission of acyan color point with a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram color point of(0.3258, 0.5407). FIG. 15 shows color-rendering characteristics of thedevice for a representative selection of white light color points nearthe Planckian locus. Table 8 below shows the spectral powerdistributions for the blue, red, yellow-green, and cyan color pointsgenerated by the device of this Example, with spectral power shownwithin wavelength ranges in nanometers from 380 nm to 780 nm, with anarbitrary reference wavelength range selected for each color range andnormalized to a value of 100.0:

TABLE 8 380- 421- 461- 501- 541- 581- 621- 661- 701- 741- 420 460 500540 580 620 660 700 740 780 Blue 1 0.4 100.0 20.9 15.2 25.3 26.3 25.113.9 5.2 1.6 Blue 2 0.3 100.0 196.1 33.0 40.3 38.2 34.2 20.4 7.8 2.3 Red0.7 2.1 4.1 12.2 20.5 51.8 100.0 74.3 29.3 8.4 Yellow- 1.0 25.3 52.777.5 100.0 80.5 62.0 35.1 13.3 4.0 Green Cyan 0.4 1.5 55.5 100.0 65.359.9 57.1 35.0 13.5 4.1

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a variety ofmaterials can be used in the manufacturing of the components in thedevices and systems disclosed herein. Any suitable structure and/ormaterial can be used for the various features described herein, and askilled artisan will be able to select an appropriate structures andmaterials based on various considerations, including the intended use ofthe systems disclosed herein, the intended arena within which they willbe used, and the equipment and/or accessories with which they areintended to be used, among other considerations. Conventional polymeric,metal-polymer composites, ceramics, and metal materials are suitable foruse in the various components. Materials hereinafter discovered and/ordeveloped that are determined to be suitable for use in the features andelements described herein would also be considered acceptable.

When ranges are used herein for physical properties, such as molecularweight, or chemical properties, such as chemical formulae, allcombinations, and subcombinations of ranges for specific exemplartherein are intended to be included.

The disclosures of each patent, patent application, and publicationcited or described in this document are hereby incorporated herein byreference, in its entirety.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that numerous changesand modifications can be made to the exemplars of the disclosure andthat such changes and modifications can be made without departing fromthe spirit of the disclosure. It is, therefore, intended that theappended claims cover all such equivalent variations as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of forming a light emitting apparatus,the method comprising: providing a substrate, mounting a first LED, asecond LED, a third LED, and a fourth LED on the substrate, providingfirst, second, third, and fourth luminophoric mediums in illuminativecommunication with the first, second, third, and fourth LEDs,respectively, and adjusting the relative values of unsaturated lightemitted from the first, second, third, and fourth LEDs and the first,second, third, and fourth luminophoric mediums to adjust a fifth colorpoint of a fifth unsaturated light that results from a combination ofthe first, second, third, and fourth unsaturated light, wherein thefirst LED and first luminophoric medium together emit a firstunsaturated light having a first spectral power distribution havingspectral power distribution intensity of between 3.3 and 17.4 for thewavelength range of 380 nm to 500 nm, between 8.9 and 24.8 for thewavelength range of 501 nm to 600 nm, and between 1.1 and 18.1 for thewavelength range of 701 nm to 780 nm, relative to a value of 100.0 forthe wavelength range of 601 nm to 700 nm. 2-24. (canceled)